Kitzbuhel Ski Holidays

Description

Kitzbühel is a medieval Alpine town nestled in Austria’s Tyrol region at an altitude of 760m, with slopes running up to 2,000m. With pretty town centre, plenty of history, lively nightlife and loads to do away from the pistes, Kitzbühel is a great resort choice for all kinds of different groups. The only downside is the low altitude, and Kitzbühel’s lower slopes can suffer from poor coverage at the start and end of the season.

Up on the slopes, Kitzbühel boasts modern and rapid lifts and gondolas allowing visitors to whizz across the peaks and valleys with ease. With limited learner terrain, however, it’s not a particularly beginner-friendly resort. Kitzbühel is best suited to intermediate and advanced skiers keen to tuck in the miles and explore the broad terrain. There’s approximately 200kms of groomed runs to ski along and the gradient is very nicely varied. Three separate ski sectors — the Hahnenkamm, the Kitzbueheler Horn and Bichlalm — offer plenty of long, cruisy runs, but the lack of snow can sometimes pose a problem. For very confident skiers, no visit to Kitzbühel is complete without a zoom down the famous Hahnenkamm run, which hosts the annual World Cup alpine ski races.

Families keen to visit the slopes of Austria are perhaps better off in resorts like Obergurgl or the Nasserein sector of St Anton, where gentle slopes and easy ski access prevail. Kitzbühel is a very spread-out resort and ski access can be tricky from some areas compared to many other Austrian resorts. Furthermore, it’s quite a lively place which can put families off. On the other side of the coin, however, the resort boasts excellent ski schools and lots of non-ski activities to keep the kids entertained away from the pistes.

If you’re coming in search of big air, rails and half-pipes, Kitzbühel is a great resort choice to make. The resort is home to the DC Park, at Resterhohe, and here freestylers can find a huge range of butter-boxes, down-rails and hits for a wide range of levels. If it all gets a bit much, there’s a chill area where you can relax and watch the pros up their game.

For mile-hungry powder hounds in search of steep terrain and deep powder, the Bichlalm area is perhaps best. Here, chairlifts and snowcats bring a great rang of off-piste terrain within reach. When the snow falls and conditions allow, it’s a magical place to ski with a diverse range of itineraries!

Kitzbühel is a well-established Alpine ski destination, and offers the range of accommodation options you’d expect from a resort of its standing. From traditional hotels and welcoming pensions to catered chalets, self-catered apartments and suites, there’s a broad range of accommodation available to suit a variety of budgets and requirements. It’s worth noting that hotels do dominate the resort’s accommodation offerings.

To reach Kitzbühel from the UK, many visitors fly into Innsbruck then transfer by road — it’s only around 1 hour away. Alternatively, Salzburg Airport is also around an hour and Munich Airport is a 2-hour drive away.

Train travellers are also well catered-for, as there’s an internationally linked mainline train station in the resort. Eurocity trains head from Munich and Zurich to Innsbruck daily and from here you can easily switch for the 1-hour trip onward into Kitzbühel.

Getting There

When to Go

Where to Stay

Getting around

Apres

Austria is famous the world over for its lively and vibrant après ski scene, and Kitzbühel does not disappoint! The resort is home to a broad range of bars — from venues for thirsty skiers to find refreshment after long days on the slopes, to traditional bars where locals shoot the breeze.

If you’re in town and in search of a welcoming place to park up or let your hair down, try bars such as the Londoner, Highways Music Bar or Club Take Five. For something a little more relaxed, Praxmair and Kortschak cafes are celebrated tea rooms, and Jimmy's is a trendy cocktail bar popular with the locals. Funferl has an older clientele, and is also fun.

Eating out

As an internationally recognised ski resort, Kitzbühel offers a great selection of restaurants with menus to suit all budgets.

Good for Couples

Hochkitzbühel bei Tomschy

Bergstation Hahnenkammbahn

Hahnenkamm 1

Kitzbuhel

+43 5356 620940

Good for Couples

Rosi's Sonnbergstub'n

Oberaigenweg 101-103

Kitzbuhel

+43 5356 64652

Good for Family

Barrique

am See 4

Kitzbuhel

+43 5356 62658

Good for Friends

Centro Cafe

Vorderstadt 12

Kitzbuhel

+43 5356 658620

Activities

There’s plenty to do away from the slopes to keep non-skiers entertained, with all the usual Alpine pursuits you’d expect from a resort of this stature and in this location. From curling and ice-skating to sledging and a spot of r’n’r pampering, you’ll find it all here. And if you’re looking for a spot of retail therapy, you’ll find everything alpine-style jewellery to international fashion houses.

Bowling, Curling, Ice Skating

Sportfeld 1

Kitzbuhel

+43 5356 20222

Ice Skate & Snow Shoeing

Bichlstraße 7

Kitzbuhel

+43 664 39 00 090

Swimming, Spa & Sauna

Hahnenkammstraße 1a

Kitzbuhel

+43 5356 6951

Ski School

For parents in search of ski schools and childcare services, the Rote Teufel ski school operates an expansive kids area, the Element 3 ski school manages a children's area at the base of the Ganslern chairlift, you’ll find the Bobo children's area by the Hausleiten tow lift, and there’s a dedicated play area managed by the Kirchberg ski school, which can be found by the Schatzerlift.

Getting around

Family ski

With swift lifts, expansive terrain, superb ski schools, charming town centre, and diverse non-ski entertainments and activities, Kitzbuhel remains a popular resort choice for families. It’s pretty much traffic-free in the medieval heart of the village, with a wide range of accommodation options to suit different family budgets. On the other hand, the nursery area is limited in scope and the pistes can get busy.

The practise lifts and moving carpets of Rasmusleiten, Mocking, and Pulverturm are great for kids mastering their first turns, and you’ll find a broad range of kids’ areas with childcare services from half- to full-day. The Funslope and the family park on the Kitzbüheler Horn are brilliant for parents looking to burn off the last of the kids’ energy levels, and in general, families receive a wonderfully warm welcome here.

The ski area covers an impressive 210 kilometres of groomed pistes, with terrain well-suited to intermediate-level skiers. You can find terrain suited to beginners throughout the Kitzbuhel and Kirchberg sectors, with ski huts and snack stops where kids can take shelter or refuel. Ski schools operate with instructors carefully trained in taking youngsters to the snow, with daily activities for kids when they’re not on the slopes.

Group Ski

Childcare

Childcare facilities in Kitzbühel are limited compared to more family-oriented ski resorts such as Obergurgl. There are a few ski school-run kids clubs where parents can book the kids in for childcare or their first introduction to the snow — Element3, for example. Alternatively, the Kindergarten Marienheim is located near the tourist office and offers a good range of programmes.

The Piste

Ski School

For parents in search of ski schools and childcare services, the Rote Teufel ski school operates an expansive kids area, the Element 3 ski school manages a children's area at the base of the Ganslern chairlift, you’ll find the Bobo children's area by the Hausleiten tow lift, and there’s a dedicated play area managed by the Kirchberg ski school, which can be found by the Schatzerlift.